Vehicle-wheel.



T. MIDGLEY.

VEHICLE WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED APR. 29, 1905.

Patented Feb. 3, 1914..

unirnn s'rarns rn'rnnr onnron. V

THOMAS MIDGLEY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,-

TO THE UNITED STATES TIRE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

VEHICLE-WHEEL osaso.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

Application filed April 29, 1905. Serial No. 258,129.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS lTIDGLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Hartford, county of Hartford, and State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to vehicle-wheels, and more particularly to the rims applied to vehicle wheels to provide suitable seats for resilient tires. Y j a The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved rim construction by which the application, of a resilient tire to the wheel and its removal therefrom may be facilitated and by means of which the resilient tire will be securely held against accidental displacement after application to the wheel. The rim is primarily designed for use with pneumatic tires and especially with pneumatic tires of the standard clencher type; but the invention may be embodied in rims adapted for use with solid tires, cushion tires, or pneumatic tires of other types than the clencher.

In the drawings accompanying this application and forming a part thereof, I have illustrated one embodiment of the invention only and have described that embodiment hereinafter, but it will be obvious that various changes may be made in the structure shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope thereof, which is clearly defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a sectional View through a wheel felly provided with a rim embodying the present invention and bearing a standard clencher tire. Fig. E? is a fragmentary view in perspective showing a portion of the wheel, the rim and the tire, and illustrating the expansion device by means of which the locking ring is seated.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A designates a wheel felly of standard construction and B designates the outer shoe or casing of a standard clencher tire, the inner tube of the tire being designated 6. The outer shoe or casing B of the tire is con structed in the usual manner and is provided at its edges with outwardly projecting beads 11. i

The rim which is designated generally as G comprises a maiamember l, a removable side flange 2, and alocking ring 3. The I main rim member 1 is preferably formed of a single piece of rolled metal of suitable gage having the middle portion flat on its wheel face and its tire face. One margin of the main rim member is bent outwardly from the felly of the wheel and curled over to form-a permanent side flange 5 shaped to correspond to the outer surface of one of the beads b of the tire shoe or casing B. The

other margin of the main rim member 1 is bent inward and presents a header rib 6 which extends inward beyond the wheel face of the metal portion 4 of the main rim member. This bead or rib 6 has an inclined face 7 which lies adjacent to the felly and an outer face 8 which is parallel to the plane of the wheel. The face 8 of the bead oi rib 6 and a beveled surface 9 adjoining that face at its outer edge form the seating surface for the removable side flange 2. This removable side flange has a lipor head 11 similar in form to the bead 6 formed on the main rim member and presenting an outer inclined surface 12. The removable side flange also presents a lateral shoulder 13 which engages the beveled seating surface proper relation to the main rim member the rim presents at opposite sides two flanges corresponding exactly to the form of the beads at the edges of the tire shoe or casing.

The means employed for securing the removable side flange 2 in relation to the main rim member 1 consists preferably of the retaining ring 3 which is divided transversely at 14: and provided with a turn buckle 15 arranged between inwardly projecting lugs 16 which are formed upon the retention ring upon either side adjacent to its ends; The lugs 16 are, of course, provided with tl1readed openings for the reception of the threaded ends 17 of the turn buckle15. The middle portion of the turn buckle is preferably larger in diameter than the ends and pro- I seating the removable side flange in the position shown in Fig. 1 and then expanding the retention ring 3 by means of the turn buckle 16 until the heads 6 and 11 of the main rim member and removable side flange.

are wedged tightly together between the sides of the channel 19 which is formed in 20 the retention ring.

The removal of the side flange 2,is readily accomplished by contracting the retention ring by means of the turn buckle 15 until the'bead 11 of the removable side flange may :5 be disengaged from the channel 19 provided in the retention ring.

The application of the tire to the rim is always effected, as will be obvious, when the removable side flange is not in position, and

in order to remove the tire from the rim, the removable side flange is always first removed in the manner above explained. Then the tire may be easily slipped laterally off the rim.

A special feature of the rim construction is the retention ring with the channel having diverging sides which is provided in the outer surface of the retention ring. By virtue of this form of channel and the corre- 1O spondingly inclined sides of the heads 6 and 11 which are provided on the main rim member. and removable side flange, respectively the-firm seating of the removable side flange upon the main rim member is al- .wa-va' assured, even if the removable side flange and the main rim member do not correspond exactly in diameter. Another special feature of the invention is the location of the retention ring at the to inner side of the rim where it is protected from injury by the overhanging portion of the removable side flange.

While I have described only one form of my invention and have illustrated it in connection with only one form of tire, it is obvious that the rim may be readily modified in' such a way as to adapt it to tires of other types. i

Having thus described my invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a vehicle wheel, the combination with a main rim member and a removable side flange, of a locking ring having a surface inclined to the radii. of the wheel adapt- .with a main rim member and removable side ed to wedge said side flange tightly against the main rim member.

2. In a vehicle wheel, the combination with a main rim member and a removable side flange, said main rim member having a beador rib extending toward the center of the wheel and the removable side flange having a similar bead or rib contacting with the plane side of the first rib, of an expanding lockingring engaging both of said ribs or beads.

3. In a vehicle wheel, .the combinationwith a main rim member having at one margin a rib or bead projecting from the wheel face or the main rim member and a removable side flange having a similar head or rib, of an expansible ring inclosing both of said beads or ribs which are Wedge-shaped for Wedging the side .flange against the main rim member.

rt. In a vehicle wheel, the combination with a main rim member having a rib or bead on its wheel face-and a removable side flange of the sameinternal diameter as said bead, of a locking member having a channel adapted to have seated therein said rib or head and the inner portion of said removable side-flange to hold the removable side flange in position. e

5. In a vehicle wheel, the combination with a main rim member having a rib or bead upon its wheel face and a removable side flange having a corresponding rib or bead, each of said ribs or beads having an inclined side face, of a channeled member adapted to receive both of said ribs or beads and means for forcing said channeledmemher into position to securely hold said ribs or beads in contact.

6. In a vehicle Wheel, the combination with a main rim member provided at one side witha seating surface comprising two port-ions disposed at angles to each other, of a side flange having faces adapted forcontact with ,both portionsbf said seating surface a v n expanding ring for positively locking said side flange in engagement withv said main rim member.

7. In a vehicle wheel, the combination flange, each having a bead or rib projecting toward the center of the Wheel, of an expansibleretention ring having a channel adapted to receive both of said beads or ribs and having divergent sides, and means for expanding said retention ring.

8. The combination with a wheel telly, of a ring having an outwardly extending and inwardly turned flange at one edge to .engage the tire and extending across and secured to the outer surface of the telly, a ring having anpntwardlyextending and inwardly turned flange to engage the tire at the other side, flanges on the adjacent edges of said rings extending inward therefrom 13o 6 supporting part, with means along one edge for preventing the escape of a tire, and having. along the other edge an inward-turned projection or flange extending continuously around said edge, in combination with an 10 elastic locking ring engaging by outward expansion with the inner side of saidpro- -jection or flange, and a tire-retaining flange having an inward projection abutting laterally against the said ring and held in 15 place thereby, substantially as set forth.

coplel o! thhpatent may be obtained for five cents eech, by addressing the p I Waehington, D. 0.

10. In a vehicle wheel, the combination with a main rim member and a removable. slde flange, said mam rim member having a head or rib extending toward the center of the wheel and the removable side flange having a similar bead or rib, of an expand 'ing locking ring inclosing both of said beads or ribs.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

' THOMAS MIDGLEY.

Witnesses:

. WILLIAM SEWARD,J1.,

Anne 0. HOLROYD.

Commisaioner of Patents, 

